Managing Director, BCRF Venture Philanthropy Program

Breast Cancer Research Foundation • New York City, NY

22d • Hybrid

About The Position

Breast cancer is a complex disease with no simple solution. Research is the key to stopping it in its tracks. Founded in 1993 by Evelyn H. Lauder, the Breast Cancer Research Foundation (BCRF) is the largest private funder of breast cancer research in the world. By investing in the best minds in science to examine every aspect of the disease from prevention to metastasis—and fostering cross-disciplinary collaboration—BCRF is accelerating the entire field and moves us closer to the answers we urgently need to be the end of breast cancer. Since its founding in 1993, BCRF has invested more than $1 billion in research, supporting a global network of over 280 scientists across 18 countries. With annual grant disbursements reaching a record $75 million in 2026–2027, BCRF-funded investigators have contributed to the discoveries underlying multiple FDA-approved therapies and diagnostic tools that have collectively driven a 44% reduction in breast cancer deaths since 1989. Despite this scale and impact, a persistent translational gap remains between BCRF-funded discovery science and the capital-intensive clinical development activities that carry new diagnostics and therapies to patients. Commercial venture capital has shifted decisively toward later-stage, de-risked assets, leaving pre-clinical and Phase I programs — precisely where many of BCRF's most promising discoveries sit — chronically underfunded. To close that gap, BCRF has established the BCRF Venture Philanthropy Program (the "Program"), an evergreen investment vehicle that will deploy $100 million over five to seven years into early- and mid-stage companies advancing breast cancer therapeutics, diagnostics, and prevention technologies. The Program is modeled on the proven success of peer disease-focused venture philanthropy funds — including the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation's landmark investment in Vertex Pharmaceuticals, the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society's Therapy Acceleration Program, the JDRF T1D Fund, and the American Cancer Society's BrightEdge — while reflecting BCRF's distinctive scale, scientific network, and mission focus.

About the Role
BCRF is seeking a founding Managing Director (MD) — an exceptional individual who will build and lead the Venture Philanthropy Program from the ground up. This is a rare opportunity to shape a mission-driven investment program that will directly influence the pace of breast cancer drug, diagnostic, and prevention technology development globally, backed by the credibility and scientific network of the world's largest private funder of breast cancer research. At $100 million, the Program is sized not merely to catalyze individual discoveries, but to reshape the early-stage breast cancer investment ecosystem. The Program will build a diversified portfolio of 20 to 30 companies over five to seven years, with BCRF moving from participant to lead investor: structuring deals, convening co-investment syndicates, and negotiating mission-protection covenants alongside leading oncology venture capital firms. "The Program will exhibit the discipline of venture capital, and the patience and purpose of philanthropy. The Managing Director will be the embodiment of both."

The MD will serve as the Program's chief investment officer and primary operational executive, responsible for the full investment lifecycle — strategy, sourcing, scientific and business evaluation, deal structuring, Investment Committee management, portfolio oversight, and performance reporting — and will build the Program's founding team, including an Investment Principal, Operations Manager, and Associate over the course of Year 1. The MD will also serve as the Program's primary external representative to the venture capital and biopharmaceutical communities, and as a senior ambassador for BCRF's mission to donors, scientific collaborators, and the broader breast cancer community. The ideal candidate will bring a distinctive combination of deep scientific and clinical knowledge of oncology — ideally breast cancer — and demonstrated investment experience in early-stage biotechnology. This dual expertise is the defining requirement of the role: the Program must evaluate the scientific and clinical merit of investment opportunities as its primary objective, while maintaining the financial discipline expected for a nonprofit mission program. BCRF’s offices are in New York. While candidates based in the New York Metro area are preferred, BCRF is open to locating the Venture Philanthropy Program in the Boston, Massachusetts area and will consider exceptional candidates from the greater Boston area for this position. BCRF currently requires staff to work onsite a minimum of three days per week, and this requirement will apply to the Venture Philanthropy team.

Requirements

• Minimum 10 years of combined experience in life science investment and/or oncology drug or diagnostic development, with at least 5 years in a senior investment role (Principal, Partner, Managing Director, or equivalent) at a life science venture capital, corporate venture capital, growth equity, or cross-over fund.
• An advanced degree is required, ideally an MD, PhD and/or MBA.
• Demonstrated track record of sourcing, evaluating, structuring, and closing equity investments in early-stage oncology or broader biopharmaceutical companies.
• Deep scientific and clinical knowledge of oncology, with a strong preference for direct experience in breast cancer therapeutics, breast cancer diagnostics, or an adjacent solid tumor or women's health indication.
• Expert-level understanding of drug and diagnostic development processes: target identification and validation, IND-enabling studies, Phase I/II clinical trial design, biomarker strategy, FDA regulatory pathways (including Breakthrough Therapy, Fast Track, Accelerated Approval), and commercialization planning.
• Experience evaluating and conducting due diligence on oncology drug candidates, including critical assessment of preclinical data packages, clinical trial data, competitive landscape analysis, and IP position.
• Familiarity with investment structures used in early-stage biotech: preferred equity, convertible notes, royalty-backed financing, milestone-linked instruments, and co-investment syndication.
• Proven ability to build and maintain trusted relationships with biotechnology founders and management teams, venture capitalists, pharmaceutical business development executives, and academic scientists.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to convey complex scientific and investment concepts to non-specialist audiences including board members, major donors, patient advocates and the media.

Nice To Haves

• Direct experience with breast cancer biology and/or clinical oncology — including knowledge of breast cancer molecular subtypes (HR+/HER2-, HER2+, TNBC, HER2-low), current standards of care, approved and pipeline therapies, and unmet clinical needs across the disease spectrum.
• Prior experience at, or in close collaboration with, a disease-focused nonprofit venture philanthropy program (e.g., the T1D Fund, LLS TAP, ACS BrightEdge, Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, Lupus Ventures).
• Board or Board observer experience at early-stage private biotechnology companies.
• Experience with Program-Related Investments (PRIs), nonprofit investment governance, or nonprofit legal compliance.
• Established relationships within the breast cancer biotech and academic research ecosystem — NCI-designated Cancer Centers, leading oncology academic medical centers, and breast cancer-focused investors.
• Experience with diagnostics and companion diagnostic development, in addition to therapeutics.

Responsibilities

• Develop, refine, and implement the Program's investment strategy, ensuring consistency with BCRF's mission and the Investment Thesis.
• Lead all aspects of deal sourcing, scientific and business due diligence, term sheet negotiation, investment structuring, and closing across all three investment tiers.
• Build and maintain a high-quality pipeline of 100–120 annual investment opportunities, managing the funnel from initial intake through Investment Committee review and approval.
• Prepare comprehensive investment memoranda and present investment recommendations to the Investment Committee.
• Assume Board observer roles at portfolio companies on behalf of BCRF Ventures, LLC.
• Evaluate and recommend follow-on investments in portfolio companies based on milestone achievement and evolving strategic rationale.
• Serve as the Program's primary scientific and clinical intelligence resource, maintaining current, expert-level knowledge of the breast cancer research landscape across subtypes (TNBC, HER2+, HER2-low, HR+, inflammatory, metastatic).
• Evaluate the scientific and clinical merit of investment candidates, including mechanism of action, preclinical and clinical data packages, biomarker strategies, regulatory pathway feasibility, and competitive differentiation.
• Engage and manage external scientific and clinical Key Opinion Leaders who provide independent expert review during due diligence.
• Maintain active relationships with BCRF's 265+ investigator network and leverage scientific intelligence from that network to identify emerging translational opportunities.
• Actively monitor portfolio company progress against milestones defined in investment documentation; prepare quarterly portfolio status reports for the Investment Committee.
• Provide strategic advisory support to portfolio companies on clinical development strategy, regulatory planning, partnership development, and financing.
• Identify and escalate material risks in portfolio companies — scientific, clinical, regulatory, competitive, or managerial — and recommend remediation strategies.
• Manage the Program's follow-on investment reserve and advise the Investment Committee on redeployment priorities.
• Coordinate all aspects of Investment Committee meeting preparation: agendas, investment packages, portfolio reports, and follow-on analyses; serve as IC Secretary.
• Ensure the Program operates in full compliance with BCRF's governance policies, conflict-of-interest procedures, PRI legal requirements, and BCRF's broader Code of Ethics.
• Support PRI qualification analysis for each investment structure.
• Prepare the annual Program report to the full BCRF Board of Directors.
• Represent BCRF and the Program at key industry and scientific conferences, including ASCO, AACR, SABCS, the JP Morgan Healthcare Conference, and BIO.
• Build and maintain active relationships with life science venture capital firms, corporate VC programs, biotechnology business development leaders, academic technology transfer offices, and SBIR/STTR program officers to sustain high-quality deal flow.
• Partner with BCRF's development team to integrate the Program's impact narrative into BCRF's donor communications and fundraising strategy, and represent the Program to major philanthropic supporters.
• Develop progress reports for the Board of Directors and key donors.
• Recruit, mentor, and develop Program staff as the portfolio grows — including the founding Investment Principal, Operations Manager, and Associate.
• Build a culture of scientific excellence, investment rigor, and mission commitment within the Program team.

Benefits

• Medical, dental and vision coverage from the first day of employment
• Contributions to a health reimbursement account or heath savings account
• Pre-tax Commuter Transit, Flexible Spending Account or Health Savings Account and Dependent Care Account
• 401K, with up to a 5% match each pay period
• Paid parental leave offering 18 weeks 100% paid leave for a birthing parent and 12 weeks 100% paid leave for non-birthing parent
• 15 days of annual vacation time in first year of employment, increasing with length of service
• 7 days of annual paid sick time
• Paid holidays along with BCRF wide half days and summer Fridays

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Executive